Rough Edges
by David Silver
Summary: Ruth Powers is a powerful independent woman, raising her daughter on her own. This does not make her immune to the idea of making friends. Seeing a kindred spirit, she is drawn to reach out to one Mindy Simmons, another who had known love and lost it. Would Ruth prove those that threw disparaging remarks about her imagined inclinations correct, and would she ultimately care?
1. Chapter 1

Ruth softly drew on her cigarette before leaning back to let her breath free, the lit stick dangling between two fingers as she looked across the street. She was at the front of her house, blowing off steam in a most visual way, the lazy curls of smoke carrying her stress away.

Would that it were so easy. She tapped the cigarette lightly, shaking off some of the ash.

A car approached. She knew many of the vehicles that went through the area. Springfield was small as cities went, making it easy to know who went through her neighborhood, but this one she didn't immediately recognize. This was enough to draw her eyes, watching it quietly as it drew up in front of her neighbor's house.

The car had stopped and the driver hadn't gotten out. It didn't honk, and no one in the house was reacting to it. Ruth raised both brows at the thing as she set down her cigarette, snuffing it for later. "Not going to let the neighbors get robbed." If they were being sized up, she'd find out quickly enough.

Marge was a good woman, who deserved more than to be stolen from. She suffered well enough with the husband she curiously found appealing. Imagining his jiggling fat brought a look of distaste to her face as she approached the strange vehicle. She reached into a pocket, slipping out some knuckles, just in case.

"Hey." She held a hand to side of her face, amplifying her words towards the car. "Nice day for a drive, isn't it?"

The driver was a woman with orange hair in soft straight hair that went down a little past her shoulders. She had a bag of chips in her hands, one potato chip vanishing into her mouth even as she sniffled and wept. She noticed Ruth after a moment, gasping with alarm. "O-oh! Yes, a fine day." She laughed with guileless falseness.

"Uh, you alright?" Ruth hiked one brow at the woman. "Car trouble? I can get it moving again."

"No… no, thank you." She glanced at the Simpson's home a moment before she reached into her bag, pulling out a crisp. The window beside her rolled down with the soft humm of automated control as she reached out. "Want one?"

Ruth slipped the knuckles away, confident that the slender woman in the car posed no immediate threat to her. "Yeah sure." She snatched the chip away and chomped it in half. "Salty."

"That's my favorite part." The woman was smiling a little. "I'm Mindy. Mindy Simmons… If you don't mind, don't tell them I was here." She looked meaningfully at the house she was parked in front of.

"You might not be noticed if you weren't, you know, parked _right_ here." Ruth popped the last of the chip in her mouth and clapped her hands together to be rid of the grease. "Name's Ruth. Ruth Powers. I live just there." She hiked a thumb towards the house she had just left. "And you're looking like I did when I first showed up in this town."

Mindy looked past the Simpson's house to Ruth's. "It's a nice house… Say… You know them?"

"I don't think anyone who lives in this place can _not_ know them." A soft smirk spread on her face, her tone dry and wry. "Practically a legend, the lot of them. You want to get off their lawn? We can share battle stories."

Mindy drummed her fingers along her steering wheel in considering. "Mmm… I don't see the harm in that." She suddenly pulled forward, driving right past Ruth, only to stop one house up. By the time Ruth came wandering up, Mindy was out of her car, holding her bag of chips in one hand and still eating with the other. Despite her apparent appetite, she remained slender, with her fat only collecting at her chest and hips. "Can we go inside?" she whispered despite no others being close enough to hear them.

"You are in this deep." Ruth leaned forward a little. "And I want to know what it is you're in. C'mon." She hiked a thumb towards her door and angled towards it without finishing her approach of Mindy. "Don't be surprised if you see my daughter wander past."

"Oh, you have a daughter? That's nice." Mindy followed after Ruth, watching her. "Are you… married then? It seems like all the nice people are."

Ruth could not snort loudly enough. "Yeah, once. It wasn't all it was cracked up to be." She pulled open her screen door and had the wooden door behind it open in short order. "Bastard loves to be late with his child support payments."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She held out a handful of chips towards Ruth. "Want some? They make me feel better."

Ruth peered at Mindy's offering, but did not reach for a single one until they were both inside and the door was closed. Only then did she take a single one. "You shouldn't binge on these things."

"Better than drinking…"

Ruth's posture tensed. "Which… you do."

"Is it that obvious?!" Mindy began to go a dark red in her cheeks. "I'm trying to quit…"

"Hey, I've been on that wagon before." Ruth brought down a hand on Mindy's shoulder before moving towards her kitchen. "They say moderation in all things. That includes quitting drinking." She popped open the fridge and worked two things free from inside it. "Thirsty?"

"Chips do that," admitted Mindy with a nervous laugh, wiping her recently emptied hands, salt still showing on her painted lips. "What do you-"

Ruth thrust out a can of beer against Mindy, getting an oof with the impact. "Just one won't hurt you. You'll never get a good habit going if you try to go cold turkey."

Mindy's fingers curled around the cool, can that promised immediate satisfaction. "What could just one hurt?" she muttered somewhat rhetorically.

"Exactly, and you're only getting one." She bumped the fridge close with her butt before moving past Mindy towards the living room. "So how'd you meet them?"

"Who? Oh." She glanced towards the home she had been stalking, though she couldn't see it from inside. "I used to work at the power plant." She crashed onto the couch beside Ruth.

"Woah, really?" Ruth hiked a brow. "You some kind of engineer?"

"My diploma says so," she sighed out, cracking open the tab on her can. "But, um… that's skipping ahead. So I met Homer there." She sighed dreamily, a little smile on her face. "He always looked like he was in charge even when he was confused."

Ruth peered at her new friend. "About this high?" She held up a hand from her seated position. "Balding, fat? Worst dad since my ex?"

"You're so focused on the negatives." Mindy took a sudden pull of the beer, belching powerfully in the satisfaction of falling off the wagon. "He's really a sweet guy… I mean, shoot, we… could have done some… bad things and gotten away with it. She… would never have known."

"Rewind that." Ruth made a leftwise rotation with her free hand. "What things, and who is 'she'? Marge? Are you thinking about hurting her?" Her can crinkled, buckling under the pressure she was applying without thought.

"No! No… I mean, I was, but that's way in the past." She paused to drain another third of her can, reaching for some comfort in her alcohol. "I liked him. I still like him… Oh god who am I fooling?!" She dropped her head into her hands, forehead resting against the mostly-drained can of beer held in her right hand. "I love him."

Ruth looked uncertain, reaching a hand before it paused. She opted instead to take another soft pull of her can. "How are you even trying to quit while you're a mess like that?"

"Really badly." Mindy straightened herself out and drained the last of the beer. With a sudden motion, she crushed the can against her head without hesitation, flattening it completely. "I must look really bad right now. I'm sorry."

"Hey, nice trick." She lifted her shoulders. "I never tried that myself. Look, what you need right now? A girl's night out. No romance, no bad memories. Just a little excitement and fun. Maybe a few drinks, and a lot of fun." She tipped her mostly empty can towards Mindy. "How does that sound?"

"That does sound kind of nice… I know this all you can eat place." She licked over her lips, drool building without effort. "Do you like seafood?"

"I get the feeling you like it a leeetle too much." She held up two fingers close together. "Besides, forget that. Let's do something that gets us _moving_." She sprang to her feet with a roguish grin. "You're a sheltered little girl. What's with that guy and attracting innocent ones?"

"This is all so much… but, yeah, let's do that." She stood up, setting the can on a small table beside the couch. "Do you take every 'sheltered girl' you find out on the town?"

"Only the lucky ones." Ruth rolled her eyes as she began guiding Mindy towards the door of her house. "For now, go home and stop blubbering over that fat jerk. Look forward to fun times."

Mindy reached for Ruth, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Look, thanks. This is really nice of you. I mean, we just met, and I appreciate it." She flashed a bright smile. "Oh, almost forgot them." She danced around Ruth and reclaimed her bag of snacks. "Gonna need some munchies for the trip home."

"You are something else." Ruth watched Mindy as she moved, searching for hints that any of the food being devoured was actually being placed on the slender woman she had just met. "Get out of here. I'll pick…" She trailed off, her expression turning to a frown.

"What is it?" Mindy was by the door, ready to escape, but faltering at Ruth's hesitation. "Everything alright?"

"I don't have a car right now." She threw a hand aside. "I'll get that fixed, eventually, but-"

"-Is that all? I have a car. I'll pick _you_ up." She wiggled two fingers at Ruth as she opened the door out with her free hand. "Friday, 6?"

"It's a date." Ruth fashioned two finger guns with a smile that lasted until Mindy was gone through the door. "Huh… it's a date." She put her hand behind her head as she wandered back towards her couch. "At least this time it doesn't involve a stolen car, so… there's that…" She took a soft breath as she moved past the couch, heading downstairs instead.

She sat down on her weight bench grabbed a few large weights, working them onto the bar, fastening them in place. "A date…"

Ruth began working the bar without a spotter. She had lacked such a thing since her husband left. With soft grunts, she pushed the weighted bar away from herself before letting it sink slowly, only to reject it once more. "That makes two dates with women…"

The taunts came vividly to her mind. Some had claimed she had ditched her husband on account of him being a man, rather than being a worthless, job obsessed, "Pig!" She shoved the bar away once more, scowling at no one.

"Thinking about dad?" Laura was peeking in from upstairs, her arms crossed. "You're sounding it."

Ruth let the bar drop, but it came down where it should, landing heavily on the rest of her weight bench. "Just thinking. You know better than to bother me when I'm doing my heavy thinkin'."

Laura tossed a hand up as she descended the stairs. "Yeah yeah. I'm not quite 18 yet, Mom. What's for dinner?"

Ruth rolled upright. "Dinner, right. Did you check the fridge?"

"The leftovers are beyond left over." She snapped two fingers, leering at her mom. "That won't work today. We doing Indian? Maybe Middle-Eastern?"

Ruth stood up. "I'll order something. Speaking of that, where are you going to be tomorrow? I'm going to be out. Don't wait up for me."

"Go Mom." Laura pumped her teenaged arm, encouraging Ruth.


	2. Chapter 2

"Child, handled." Ruth brushed her teeth, extending a finger as she counted, eyes on her reflection as she worked. "Thank heavens for productive children." Laura was out babysitting, which would keep her occupied for some time.

"Itinerary, planned." She extended a second finger on her free hand, the other busy working the toothbrush. "Schedule, otherwise empty." A third finger extended before she spat out into the sink and rinsed it, the toothbrush and her mouth clean. "You're ready for this." She made double gun gestures at the mirror that was kind enough to return the expression with the same hopeful smile.

What was it she was hoping for, exactly? Her smile faded faintly as she turned away from the reflection that didn't have the nerve to keep up its grin either. "Just two lonely ladies out for a good time, nothing more than that." Sure, the last time had ended with a high speed car chase, but this time, she wasn't the one behind the wheel. "Which makes _you_ the designated driver, sorry hon."

Her grin returned as she made her way into the living room, grabbing an abandoned leather jacket and slipping it on. "She should be here any minute." A glance at a digital clock on the wall showed it was 5 minutes to six. "Maybe she'll be late, not like this is work or anything… Maybe early?"

She brought up both of her hands to slap against her face. "Relax, relax. She's probably _just_ as nervous. I bet she shows up early and parks in front, afraid to knock on the door before the time." Ruth moved for the door and peeked outside.

Her gloom faded at the sight of Mindy right where Ruth expected her. The shapely woman was parked right out front, nervously working through what appeared to be pretzels and glancing at the front of the house. She could see Mindy's mouth moving, likely verbally sparring with herself just as Ruth had finished doing. "Poor thing. Time to come to the rescue."

She made one last peek back to make sure she had all her things, then stepped out with a smile. "So punctual, love it. Now prepare to be late."

Mindy started adorably. "Late for what?" She asked muffedly before her window lowered. "What am I late for?"

"Nothing, yet." She pointed at her driver as she circled the car to get the shotgun position. "First, you're the designated driver, so I hope you enjoyed that drink yesterday because I'm holding your leash today."

"D'oh!" She raised her window back where it came from and reached across to open the door, but Ruth beat her to it, swinging inside. "It's maybe for the best…" A dark cheek filled her cheeks.

"You went home and had another, and maybe a few more after that, didn't you?" Ruth peered at her new friend with an even gaze.

"Maybe…"

"Good, it's out of your system. Today, you fly dry. I'll do the drinking for both of us, have no fear!" She pointed ahead. "Onwards!"

Ruth felt the gravity pulling her back with surprising force. Mindy was more sure of herself than Ruth had figured, accelerating far more quickly than she had guessed. "You like speed?"

"I used to ride a bike," admitted Mindy with an awkward smile. "Motorcycle, I mean. Where are we going again?" They were speeding through Springfield with no particular destination in mind.

"Take a left here." She slid towards Mindy with the sudden turn. "And right into that lot there." She angled a finger towards it as they came in for a abrupt stop in an open spot.

Mindy leaned off to the side, opening her door. "Sh..tkickers?"

"Shotkickers," amended Ruth as she hopped out of her side of the car, locking the door behind herself before slamming it shut. "Think country bar. They know how to dance, have a mechanical bull if you're in for that, and a selection of drinks that you aren't having."

"Now you're just teasing me." Mindy crossed her arms before moving towards the entrance. "Wonder if they have any pretzels…"

Ruth glanced back at where Mindy's bag of pretzels had been abandoned in her car. "Maybe…"

"Mmm." She began to salivate at the thought of a snack, vanishing into the bar. Ruth was just behind her, reaching for a hand to guide her right past the distractions at the bar. With her free hand she gestured out at the dance floor that already had occupants, moving in time to the country music that filled the room.

"That looks fun," Mindy easily agreed, a smile forming. She raised Ruth's held hand and took over leadership, working right into a spirited dance without further prompting. The two began to move with the music, melding into the crowd. She apparently knew how to dance. Not how to dance country in particular, but how to dance, moving without reservation.

Ruth felt a smile overpowering her reservations, moving with Mindy. She twirled her newfound friend away, only for Mindy to snatch some pretzels that were waiting in a bowl. Ruth laughed at Mindy's need to be eating, not that chewing on her salty treat seemed to be slowing Mindy down.

Their date had properly begun, and both were happy with it, kicking up their feet as that part of the song came, joining a great line of people in the action. It was after that they agreed to take a break without a word between them, gravitating towards an open table to sink into opposing chairs, breathing hard.

"This is a lot more fun than I thought it'd be," admitted Mindy with a bright expression. "Thanks for bringing me here. You're the best."

"Aw, don't be like that." She waved off the compliment. "Want anything from the bar?"

"Can I have anything?"

"Not much liquid." Ruth shrugged. "But they have some stuff. How about I surprise you?"

"Ooo, surprise." She licked over her lips. "Go on. I'm looking forward to it."

As Ruth ventured across the bar, Mindy looked up in time to see a group of three burly men eyeing her. "Hello," she greeted guilelessly. "Just finish dancing?"

"You could say that." One of them plunked down on the chair adjacent to Mindy on the left side of the table. "You look mighty lonely."

"I'm not alone." She hiked a thumb towards Ruth. "I'm with her."

"A woman can't be no company for another woman." The other men laughed at his realization. "Why don't you come with us and we'll keep you company _real_ good." His brows danced with implications, a wry grin on his face.

"Oh, thank you, but I'm already in the middle of a date."

They burst into laughter, at least two of them. One of them, the one sitting, was eyeing Mindy directly. "By date, you mean like a lady's night out, right? You ain't letting that damn dyke corrupt you now are ya?"

"That damn Dyke isn't deaf."

He looked up in time for her to bring down her platter full of snack foods on his face, hot wings dripping down in greasy splatters. One of his friends threw a punch without hesitation but she was already dancing back.

Mindy let out an inarticulate yelp, watching the fight but not rushing to be involved.

Ruth grabbed one of them. "Ain't gonna fight y'all at the same time now." She twirled with the motion, tossing the man to collide with another table. Angry shouts and spilled beer were the sign that she had aimed correctly. What had started as an unreasonable fight erupted into a full bar brawl almost instantly.

Even as more and more people got involved, fists, chairs, and bottles swinging wildly, the one she had hit with the platter was approaching her directly. She raised her fists expectantly, only to suddenly collapse forward, wood splinters raining down around her. One of his friends laughed with triumph, throwing aside the remains of the chair.

His victory ended almost as soon as it began, another irate bar patron slugging him across the face. With the fight in full swing, Mindy dropped low and scurried up to Ruth's fallen form. With a grunt of effort, she got Mindy leaning against her, propped on her shoulder, and made for the exit, keeping ducked down under flying body parts and heavy objects.

She did pause to reach up, catching a passing mozzarella stick and she sniffed it. "Mmmm, garlicky." She gladly chewed on it as she burst out into the dark parking lot with her friend. "You alright?" She slowly stepped towards her car, setting Ruth down on the front of the car. "That's as far as I can carry you."

"Mmm?" Ruth cracked open an eye, a hand going to her head with a hiss. "I wasn't trying to party _that_ hard. What-oh right." Memory of the event came back to her as she slid to her feet, standing with a little wobble. "Shit… sorry."

"What are _you_ sorry for?" Mindy licked the last of the salty treat free of her lips. "You tried to protect me. Thank you." She suddenly hugged Ruth, squeezing her gently a moment. "We were having so much fun too…"

"Yeah… You want to head home?" She circled the car towards the passenger seat, her cheeks mildly reddened from the hug. "Sorry it had to end like that."

"Who says it has to end?" She slipped into the driver's side and pulled the door shut. "I'm more sad that I never got to try those chicken wings. They looked really good, mmm… Can we get something to eat next?"

Ruth glanced towards the bar and back at the smiling Mindy. "You're alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I mean, you were the one clobbered just now. I should be asking you…" She paused a moment before raising a finger. "Are you alright?"

Ruth cracked a smile at the awkward pose. "Yeah, I think I'll be alright. Just a little bump, I've had worse." She rubbed at the back of her head, wincing at the lump that was forming there. "You ever been in a bar brawl before?"

"Once or twice," she answered evasively, her eyes wandering anywhere but on Ruth.

"You're hiding something…" Ruth crossed her arms, peering at Mindy. "Just how many have you been in?"

"A few… So, hey, I know a good place. Not seafood, I remember." She tapped her right cheek with an extended pointer finger. "No fights too, promise. Just really good food."

"After that, yeah, you pick the next stop." Ruth pulled her door and clicked her seatbelt into place. "You're a damn fine line dancer, in case no one ever bothered to tell you."

"Is that what that was?" She laughed as she pulled out of the slot and began to drive off. With a sudden crash behind them, a body hit the ground, the fight raging on without their presence. "I was just kinda doing what everyone else was doing." She shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Surprising how often that works out."

"Yeah, what everyone else is doing." She looked out her window at the darkened and still darkening streets that passed them. "Sometimes I don't think I'm all that good at just doing what everyone else is doing. You ever feel that way?"

"Sometimes." Mindy shrugged softly. "I try not to think about it too hard, then it doesn't bother me. You seem pretty normal to me, if that helps?"

Ruth hiked a brow at that. "You heard what they said, right?"

"Something about a damn doing something?" Mindy shook her head slowly. "I didn't really get it, then you spilled that plate of delicious… mmm… wings… I still miss those." She pressed the pedal down a little harder, eager to get some food to replace the fallen foodstuffs.


	3. Chapter 3

As they zoomed through the city, Ruth let her mind wander, considering the fight they were leaving. It was far from the first time it had come up. Her rejection of most of the 'eligible' bachelors she could find in Springfield had sent a clear message she hadn't intended.

Was it her fault that the gene pool of the city was in dire need of some skimming off the top? The better ones were already taken. Then again, many of the less than good ones were taken too.

She looked across to Mindy, watching her drive. She had a guileless smile on her face, tongue almost hanging with the thought of whatever food they were approaching. She was a bit silly, but cute… And she had fallen in love with Homer Simpson, of all people.

"You have to tell me."

"Mm?" Mindy glanced over a brief moment, her eyes mostly focused on the road ahead. "What is it?"

"What did you see in _him_?"

"Who him?"

Ruth rolled her eyes. "The one you were crying about when we met. Simpson."

"Oh yeah, him." She flashed a false smile, laughing nervously. "It's hard to put in words… I mean… We just kind of, you know, clicked? We like a lot of the same stuff."

"Like food?" ventured Ruth with a wry smile, watching the buildings go past.

"Even the same kinds of food, mmm…" She licked over her lips lightly. "I coulda sworn it was around here…"

"What was? But alright, you both like the same food, anything else?" She rolled a hand, the other holding up her head as she leaned against the door. "Gotta be more than that, right?"

"It was… like fate. He talks like I do, even the silly little things." She lifted her shoulders. "When I told him it was his choice… that was the hardest moment of my life. When he… decided to be faithful, I never felt more in love with him. I was ripped in half, but how could I be mad?"

"Wait wait wait." She held up her free hand. "You were ready to cheat with him?"

"More like _he_ was ready to cheat with me." Mindy flashed a false smile, fingers tight on the steering wheel. "But I could see he was upset, so I asked what was wrong, and he told me… So now he's back with his wife, and here I am, alone…"

"Hey, that's not true." Ruth reached across and set a hand on Mindy's right thigh. "I'm here."

"Aw… Hey, wasn't there a Facestuffers around here?" Mindy's eyes were sweeping over the block. "I could have sworn…"

Ruth frowned softly, looking along the street. "Shoot, now that you mention it, I think there was, huh… Musta closed." She hiked a thumb. "At this point I'd be happy with a Krusty Burger."

"Mmm, burger." The car turned sharply under Mindy's control. "Sounds like a plan." She did not move to park, instead drawing up towards the drivethrough. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Eh, I'll take what you're getting." Ruth shrugged softly. "You've been here before, right?"

"Plenty of times." Mindy pulled up to the smiling clown face. "Yes, hello?"

"Welcome to Krusty Burger." The person speaking sounded underaged and bored. "How can I help?"

"Yeah, I'll take a Krusty Burger, a Double Krusty Burger, a Deep Fried Krusty Burger, Three orders of fries… Mmm… Oh! A Clogger." She had to pause, drool becoming too much and requiring a moment to just salivate in the thought of the coming meal. "Oh yeah, double all that."

Ruth clenched her teeth as she leaned in over Mindy. "Hold off on that! Just one. Get me a double burger and some fries."

"Alright," acknowledges the boy with a pause. "Anything to drink?"

"Ooo, yeah, get me a tall vanilla shake." Mindy rubbed her hands together, her evening clearly improving by the moment.

"Just a basic coke over here, make it a large." She made a gun-gesture with her hand, not that the person speaking could see her. "That should do it?"

"Pull up to the window."

Mindy was bouncing a little in place, eyes locked on the drivethrough window. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," she chanted, waiting for their turn after the other cars ahead of them. "Woohoo!" she eagerly cried as she pulled up into position."

Large heavy bags emerged from the window into Mindy's wriggling fingers. She passed them to Ruth quickly to get the next one, giggling with building joy. "Here you go." She offered a card up towards the boy.

"Thank you." He swiped it and waited a moment before offering the card and a receipt back. "Enjoy."

"I will," Mindy assured, driving away without hesitation. "Wanna park and eat?" She gestured with a tilt of her head towards the parking lot they were driving through slowly.

Ruth pulled one bag of fries from a bigger bag that appeared to be a lost sea of fries. "Sure, we need to untangle th-" She paused as the car came to a firm stop, making her lurch forward a moment, but the container of fries remained in her clutching hands, mostly, a few falling to the floor of the car. "-these…"

Mindy leaned over, plunging her hand into one of the many bags and coming out with a wrapped burger. "Mmm, deep fried." She tore it open with glee. "It's best when they're fresh, go on, dig in."

Ruth fished out her lone burger and chewed far more reservedly than Mindy's absolute hedonistic splurge. It was a thing of magic, watching the food vanish past her painted lips with loud smacks and joyful grunts, but still she remained a slender and shapely woman. The food was simply destroyed in some arcane vortex in Mindy, leaving behind naught but hunger for more.

"Not good?" She had paused, watching Ruth in kind. "You've barely touched your burger."

"No! No, it's fine." She took a big bite out of her burger to prove the point. "Mmm."

"Mmm!" agreed Mindy with a smile, reaching for a bag of fried to start gobbling them down. "You're watching me…"

"You're watching me," noted Ruth with a raised pinkie, taking another bite. "We're even."

"You're judging me." Mindy lowered a frie, uneaten. "He understood…"

"Understood what?" Ruth cocked a brow.

"The joy of eating." Mindy popped the fry into her mouth, chewing even as she spoke, "that small happiness you could enjoy every day."

"Hey, I'm not saying you should stop." Ruth's brows went up as one. "Frankly I'm jealous as hell that you can do it and still have a smoking hot figure like _that_." She waved a hand over Mindy's form. "What's your secret?"

Mindy tossed aside the wrapper of her burger, grabbing for the biggest one, the clogger. "Positive thinking!" She tapped at a chin, the burger close, but not being devoured yet. "I don't really know, it just never got to me. I do like to move." She lowered the burger, not devouring it as Ruth had expected. "What about you?"

"Me? I don't eat that much." She gestured at her double burger. "This is lunch and dinner rolled into one right here." She took a bite, about halfway through. "Lose your appetite? You were enjoying yourself a moment ago."

"No, no, I mean…" She set the burger in her lap. "What do you do, you know, for fun?"

Ruth's eyes widened a moment before they fell back to their usual state. "Oh! Sorry, completely off track there. I like working out. I like sculpting this bod." She flexed her arm, holding the burger in that hand as the other pulled back her sleeve to show off the muscles she had cultivated. "I was thinking of going pro actually."

"Oh wow, that sounds neat." Mindy hefted up the mighty burger. "I like moving too. Maybe next time, we could do something during the day? We can… I mean, if you want?"

Ruth swapped the burger from left to right hand, moving the left to Mindy's shoulder. "Hey, stop looking like that. I'm not judging you. You enjoy the hell out of that burger." It only clicked a moment later. "Next time?"

"Oh, well, if you want…" Mindy took a big bite out of her equally big burger, starting to demolish it with more of the zeal she had started with. "It's okay if you don't want to…"

"You're waiting for me to deny you."

"Hm?"

"You're waiting for me to say 'no', like Homer did." She set her burger down and pointed an accusing finger at Mindy. "But I'm not Homer."

Mindy smiled awkwardly, giggling. "You don't look like him."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She grabbed her soda and took a big swig through the straw. "And you don't either, and I happen to like that too. So, yeah, not him, and not saying no."

"Is that a yes?" She leaned a little towards Ruth, her hands as close together as her big burger allowed.

"You make that look way too cute." She gently pushed Mindy back. "But it is a yes, you silly thing. So hey, where do you work again?"

Mindy deflated. "I used to work at the power plant." She took a sad bite of the monster burger. "But I really let myself go after… that… They fired me pretty fast. I was… Well, that's about when you found me."

"Poor thing." She patted Mindy's shoulder gently. "Look, forget him. Alright? He made his choice, you deserve better than that." She squeezed gently. "Now you eat that burger like it owes you money."

"Mmmm, imagine if food made money when you ate it instead of costing money to get?" She giggled with the joy of fantasizing such a world. "That would change things, wouldn't it?"

"You'd be filthy rich." She grabbed a napkin and dabbed it on Mindy's cheek without hesitation or asking. "And maybe a little normal filthy, but eh, small price to pay."

Mindy did not react directly, instead focusing on making her burger cease existing in the most expedient way possible, which involved stuffing it into herself with a skill that could only be rivaled by the man who broke her heart. With a great swallow, it was all gone, vanished into her somehow still trim form. "If you work out so much, don't you need to eat too?"

"A protein shake and some vitamins are good enough." Ruth freed herself of various Krusty bags. "Look, I have a question I feel needs to be asked."

"Yeah?" She wasn't watching Ruth, eyes forward instead as she made a slow but steady stream of fried cease to exist.

"It's… just…" She sank back in her chair. "Mind if I try that?" She pointed at one of Mindy's fries, as if she didn't have her own to enjoy. She smiled falsely, trying to hide her failure to ask Mindy if she even swung that way. Not that she was even sure _she_ swung that way.

"Oh, sure." Mindy surrendered a small snippet of fried towards Ruth with a more genuine smile. "Look… Thank you. It's nice, eating _with_ someone… I know that sounds kinda weird, you know, but it is."

"Yeah, anytime." Ruth felt her smile becoming a touch more natural. "Anytime. You just swing on by. You bring food with you and you'll become a favorite around my house in no time at all. Hey, you ever meet my daughter?"

"I don't think I have…" Mindy tapped at her chin. "What was her name?"

"Laura, Powers of course. A little firecracker; she's a good one, I'm proud of her." Ruth settled in her seat, chewing the given fries. "I hope she does better than I did."

She jumped as something touched her shoulder. It was Mindy, returning the gesture Ruth had given before. "She has you for a mother, she'll be fine." She was smiling, and Ruth returned it. For that one moment, it all seemed alright.


	4. Chapter 4

"G'night!" Mindy waved as she pulled away, leaving Ruth on the walk to her house.

Ruth returned the wave with less energy, but an easy smile on her face. As dates went, that hadn't gone too badly. "And no car chases this time," she complimented herself as she mosied up to her door and fished out her keys.

"Hey, Mom." The door suddenly swung inwards, revealing a grinning Laura. "You have fun?"

"What are you even doing awake?" Ruth arched a brow as she moved into the house, slapping the door shut behind herself.

"Close enough to push my bedtime a little." Laura rolled her eyes with a snort. "Figured it'd be nice to come home to someone."

"Yeah thanks, now go to bed." Ruth hiked her thumb. "It was a lovely time, thank you for asking."

Laura gave a double thumbs up as she walked backwards, vanishing around the corner.

Ruth dug out a cigarette, lighting it in a small orange light in the dark. "Huh." She only realized then that she had gone the evening without lighting up. She headed for her room with a little smirk. "Better watch out, you'll make me fat and smokeless. Doesn't get much worse than that."

The next morning came and left. It was if nothing had happened, at least until she heard a knocking during school hours, making the odds against it being Laura fairly high. She wasn't expecting a delivery, so she approached the door with a frown. "I don't want any," she spat as she puffed out some smoke, pulling the door open.

"You sure?" There was Mindy with a smile and a box of doughnuts. "I mean, if you insist, I can make them go away." She was drooling a little. "Mmm, I can handle this…"

"This I don't doubt." She hiked a thumb into her house. "Get in here. What brings you around?"

"You said I should." Mindy ducked into the house in time for the closing door behind her. "I ate the ones with the jelly, sorry. Mmm, filling… Those are my favorite, I couldn't resist."

"Well, guess this won't work out." Ruth leaned over the box. "I like those too, but at least you have a chocolate glazer in there." She quickly snatched it free and took a bite, holding her still-lit cigarette to the side.

"I can share," quickly blurted Mindy, looking quite nervous. "I didn't know, I swear."

"Woah, easy there." She slapped Mindy on the shoulder. "Just a joke, even if I do like 'em. Not a big deal seeing as you paid for 'em." She set the mostly-uneaten treat aside. "Were you just in the neighborhood?"

"No… I mean yes!" Her cheeks were tinged red as she laughed nervously. "Look, I was hoping we could do something fun. Like the dancing, that was a riot. Let's do something like that."

Ruth tapped her cigarette, drizzling ash onto an ashtray decorating her home. "What do you have in mind? I was just going to get moving myself."

"Where to?"

"Huh? Oh, just downstairs." She hiked a thumb. "Workout equipment's down there, waiting for me. You ever try it?"

"Working out?" She put a hand behind her head, looking thoughtful even as her other hand gravitated towards a sugar-sprinkled doughnut. "I usually like to move… Working out is a lot of effort but you never get anywhere."

"That's just because you're doing it wrong." She set her cigarette down and moved for the door leading downstairs. "C'mon, I'll show you."

"Well, alright…" Mindy trailed along, carrying the box of doughnuts as she went. "No promises though." She followed into the basement, visibility leaping from gloomy to well-lit with the flick of a switch by Ruth. "Ooo."

Her eyes swept over the collection of equipment. None of it was cutting-edge. Some if it was even makeshift, but there was an impressive quantity and variety on display. Ruth grinned, taking the praise. "I've been building up over the years. Why pay a gym, I say? Bastards just want my money, the way I see it." She hiked a thumb at the bench. "Let's start here. I want to see how much you can press."

"I've seen this on TV." Mindy sat down on the cushy bench before laying back. "Then you lift up like a dozen huge weights on a bar, right?" She made a motion as if she was doing just that, though she wasn't holding any bar.

Ruth undid the clips on the bar and took off the weights. "Let's start with just the bar and see how you do." She circled around to be in the proper spotting position. "Go ahead and grab it." She guided Mindy's hands to the bar. "Here, and here."

Mindy curled her fingers around the cold steel and pushed the bar up without effort. She made noises as if it were a tremendous task, lowering it slowly before grunting and heaving as she lifting it up again.

"Are you… Joking, or what?" Ruth cocked a brow, watching Mindy slowly raise and lower the unweighted-bar. "I have to say I'm not even sure."

"Isn't this how you're supposed to do it?" She looked over, holding the bar at full arm extension. "Each one is supposed to be slow and hard."

Ruth put a hand over her face, though she was smiling as she did it. "You're not on a show, just do it naturally and let me see how heavy it is for you."

"D'oh, alright." She let the bar fall far more quickly and pushed it up, moving as if it wasn't very heavy for her at all. "Is that better?"

"Much, alright, back here." She patted where to rest the bar and quickly added some light weights to the bar, a ten pounder on either side. "And again. We're going to see how high you can go."

Mindy did three to four reps before Ruth added more weights, working her higher and higher. "Doing great so far. Are you sure you haven't tried this before?"

"Nope," she replied guilelessly as she did it again with yet more weight. More and more kept coming. "Alright, it's getting harder now. How, uh, heavy are we?"

"Girl, you're pushing a clean hundred, but I don't think we should go much higher than that." Ruth grabbed a bottle of water that was parked on a shelf and took a swig. "Watching you go is making me thirsty."

Mindy set the heavy bar down on the fork of the bench, letting out a sudden gust of relieved air. "Was that good?" She sat up, rubbing one of her arms with the other hand. "Is that the burn they keep talking about?"

"Exactly right." Ruth slapped down her bottle. "Tells you you're on the right track and getting stronger. If you're that strong and you haven't… Wait, you said you like moving, what else are you busy doing?"

"Rock climbing." She extended a finger and tapped it with the other hand's pointer. "Dancing." Another finger extended. "Hiking." A third joined it. "Travel's nice when I can afford it." A fourth joined in. "All kinds of things. Ooo, cycling is fun. Ever try that?"

"Sure sure. Rock climbing, that's the trick." Ruth snapped her fingers before pointing at Mindy. "You can't do that without a lot of upper-body strength. Instead of pushing weights, you were lifting your whole body up. It all makes sense now."

"I suppose that makes sense…" Mindy tapped her chin before shrugging. "But lifting weights doesn't get you anywhere. You can cycle to fun places. You can climb to places. Travelling lets you try whole new kinds of food." She ran her tongue over her painted lips, fantasizing of foreign cuisines. "Mmm…"

"Think of it this way." Ruth waved towards the bench. "If you practice, it'll make you better at climbing and cycling and hiking, so you can get to those tasty options better."

"You… have a point there." Mindy reached for the bar, letting her fingers brush along its textured length. "So it's like practice mode for moving… yeah… I can get that." She suddenly clapped her hands. "How much can you do?"

"Well, I don't want to brag…" She sat down on the bench. "But about half again as much when I'm serious."

"Are you serious?" Mindy casually undid one of the clips as she had seen Ruth do. "I'd like to see that."

"You know what? Sure. Load it up." Ruth clapped her hands and rubbed them vigorously before grabbing the bar, fire in her eyes. "Tell me when it's ready."

Mindy loaded the bar with more weights, sliding them into place and locking them with the clip that was there to start. "That should do it. Don't hurt yourself."

"I don't plan to, but just in case, since you're there, keep your hands on the bar and be ready to grab and pull if something goes wrong, which it shouldn't." She paused a moment as Mindy got into position, also allowing her an interesting view of Mindy's front.

Ruth dismissed it, trying to focus on the task at hand. With a great heave, she lifted the bar free of its hook, her arms trembling with obvious effort. "That's.. the stuff." She let it drop slowly. "But if you can't move… with it… it doesn't… count." She raised it back up to a full extension. "Yeah. Again…"

Mindy moved her hands with the bar, trailing behind it in the case of the worst. Her eyes were wide, marveling at Ruth's strength. "Wow… You do this every day?"

"I… try." She began to lower towards her third rep. "Takes… practice." Her breathing was hard, but she was doing it in slow purposeful motions. "And…. up." She pushed and one arm ached more than the other, making the bar tilt dangerously, which only compounded the situation.

Mindy yelped as she grabbed for the listing side of the bar, wrenching it upwards with her rock-climbing strength and evening it out. "You alright?"

"Thanks to you." Ruth didn't feel nearly as angry as she thought she should have. She carefully set the loaded bar on the hook and let out a loud gust. "This is why it's good to work up to the big boys. And why it's great to have a spotter." She sat up, rubbing her arm as Mindy had not long before. "I can feel that…"

"I was so scared. I mean, that kind of thing can happen when you're climbing too." She looked thoughtful a moment. "I've almost fallen off a few times. I guess that's not that different."

Ruth stood up, one finger pointed at Mindy. "Hey, riddle me this. If you like being so active, what did you see in that guy anyway? His idea of exertion is eating too much, or binging too long on his television."

Mindy lifted her shoulders with a sheepish smile. "But… he liked eating, and we have the same habits and… I was just comfortable around him. Like you."

Ruth was ready to continue her attack when it struck her. "You're comfortable with me?"

"Yeah." Mindy set a hand on Ruth's shoulder. "You don't judge me… and I dunno… I feel safe. Besides, you're cute, in that gruff 'I'm an independent woman that don't need no man' kinda way."

Ruth blinked emptily, trying to process that. "Let's take a step back here. I'm cute now?"

"Not like a cute cat cute." Mindy worried her fingers together, looking off in another direction. "Cute like a person I like being around. Cute like a really tasty burger I want to sink my teeth into."

Ruth felt her understanding only decreasing. "You are not allowed to eat me, just to be clear." But implications began to rise. "Can I ask you a really blunt question?"

"Sure." Mindy shrugged softly. "We've been honest with each other, I think."

"Are you attracted to women?" There, she had asked the question. She steeled herself for the answer that would follow. "I mean, just… asking."


	5. Chapter 5

"I…" Mindy raised a hand behind her head, glancing around nervously. "Are you?"

Ruth almost spat out her laughter, a bitter little noise. "What a world we live in. Look, you're an adult, so am I. We're in my own damn house. How about we say what we mean and everyone else can just jump off a cliff?"

Mindy reached for the bottle Ruth had been draining and went for a swig herself without a hint of hesitation. "That sounds good. Let's be honest."

Ruth grabbed the bottle away. "Great, so answer the question. Either way, no foul." She set the bottle back on the shelf it had come from. "I just want an honest answer."

Mindy raised a hand to Ruth, barely touching her shoulder. "I like being around you, I think, but I also think it's too soon. I'd… like to be your friend, and… we can learn each other and ourselves a bit, then maybe?"

Ruth looked to the hand, then Mindy's face, that concerned but innocent face. "Damn… There you are, pulling the mature card on me." Mindy wouldn't rebound towards her. That was, objectively, the correct answer. "Tell me I can hug you at least."

"I won't turn away a friendly hug from a friend, which you are." She spread her hands out in an offer.

Ruth did not step forward, instead grabbing Mindy and pulling her in, almost sweeping the woman off her feet. "Since we're being honest, yeah, I'd like to see where this goes. You don't piss me off like most guys." She twirled in place and set Mindy down on the weight bench. "Are we clear then?"

"Not quite." Mindy stood up from where she had been set down. "I want a little taste of what's to come, even if I can't eat it yet." She leaned in and pecked Ruth's cheek as the stronger woman stiffened with surprise. "Now how-"

Ruth suddenly moved to return the gesture, but aimed for the lips, pressing hers against Mindy's. It was wonderful for all of a moment before she was pushed back by Mindy.

"Not yet," she sternly insisted, arms crossed. "Now, how about we get moving?"

"Where are we moving to?" Ruth licked over her lips. She had kissed a girl, and she decided she was alright with it. "Time for lunch?"

"Almost." Mindy smiled as she moved for the stairs. I'm thinking we'll take a nice hike, leave the car here. We'll work up a good appetite before we get there, then enjoy a nice reward."

Ruth quietly made adjustments in her mind. If she was going to hang out with Mindy, her diet would have to shuffle around. Less protein shakes, to start. "Lead the way."

"You just like the view." She growled like a tiger and waggled her brows as she bounced up the stairs.

Mindy didn't argue the sentiment, following Mindy with a smirk. As she passed her snubbed cigarette, she plucked it up and set it alit once more. "Let's go for a walk."

They hit the street and began jogging side by side through town, making their way at an energetic pace. As they passed Flanders, he raised a jovial hand in a wave. "Howdidlee do, neighbors!"

They returned the wave as they went past. Ruth couldn't help but smirk a little harder, imagining how shocked he would have been had he known the full truth of it.

The thought occurred to her that she was doing exactly what people had taunted her for, what they thought she was already doing. Then again, who cares? That rotten city had no power over her. She slapped the small of Mindy's back. "Race you to the end of the block."

"You're on!"

They accelerated to a real run. It was more aerobics than resistance training, but, Ruth decided, it was pretty nice having someone to exercise with. Mindy reached the end a few moments ahead of her, her hands in the air in triumph. "Woohoo!"

"Maybe I need to get in more runs," muttered Ruth, tossing her cigarette aside.

"If you smoked less of those, it'd help." She gestured towards the abandoned stick. "I mean, I'm not telling you to, and you don't have to…"

"Yeah yeah, you're not _wrong…_ We are such bad influences on each other." She resumed the jog and Mindy fell in with her. "But that isn't for today. I already did my big thing for today."

"No arguments there." Mindy glanced at her sidelong as they went. "Look, um…"

"More jogging, less talking." Ruth raced ahead just a little, forcing Mindy to hurry to catch up.

Their problems would not be solved right away, nor would their new friendship be the panacea for all their woes, but they had found something, and both were eager to see where it led them.

Starting with lunch.


	6. Ep 2: Leaving the Nest

"Mom?" Laura threw her backpack aside. "They gave the date for the graduation. You gonna be there?" She rolled a hand. "It's no real big deal if not."

Ruth looked up towards the front door Laura had just come through. Her cigarette went limp as she stood up. "No big deal? You take that and shove it right back where it came from."

"Hey." She held up her hands. "I know you have a life, Mom. Just trying to not crimp your-"

Ruth hugged Laura suddenly, a warm gesture that smelled of the smoke she was producing. "Hush. I'm not going to miss your damn graduation." She set her cigarette aside on an ashtray. "So when is it?"

"On the fifteenth." Laura slipped past Ruth, headed for the kitchen. "You bringing your ladyfriend?"

Ruth felt heat and fury build in equal measure. "What ladyfriend?!"

Laura rolled her eyes as she reached into the fridge. "The hot one that you hang out with? I'm a lot of things, Mom, but blind isn't one of them." She pulled a can of soda free and bumped the fridge close. "Am I gonna get two moms? Wicked."

"Mindy is… a dear friend." Her left hand clenched and flexed nervously.

"That you're thinking naughty things about." Laura raised her can as if offering a toast. "Seriously, it's cool. I prefer boys, but hey, different strokes or whatever." She popped the top and took a swig of her sugary refreshment.

"On more pressing affairs… are you considering college?" Ruth tried to look concerned instead of deflective. "Did you ever-"

"-I'mma stop you right there." She held up a free hand, taking a drink with the other. "No. I'm not going there. This little bird's gonna fly right out of the nest. Gonna get a real job and move out."

Ruth was quiet a moment, tapping her left foot as she reached for her discarded cigarette to take a fresh puff. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." Laura patted her mother's shoulder on the way past. "Not that I ain't grateful or nothin'. I'll still be in Springfield, promise."

Ruth's teeth bit into the column in her mouth, jaw tensed with new emotions. "I see… That's… your choice, of course… You know, the job market's awful tight. You may want to at least-"

"-Mom, I've considered this already." She flashed a soft smile. "We'll be buddies, but I need to do my own things, and so do you." She reached out a finger, prodding Ruth dead center of her chest. "You have a girlfriend to finish wooing."

"Laura!" she blurted, going red. "Look, I'm just worried, sue me. My daughter's growing up and she's ready to go running down the street naked just to get away from me."

"It ain't like that." She tipped her can back, finishing most of it. "We're cool. I'm just doing the teenager thing. I need my room." She cracked a smirk. "You've been there."

"I have… and that's exactly why I'm worried." She crossed her arms under her chest. "When I was doing that, I ended up with your father."

"And that was a big mistake." Laura turned away, looking ready to walk off.

Ruth grabbed her by the shoulder. "_You_ were _never_ a mistake! Shit girl… I love you more than anything, you know that, right?"

Laura reached back and snatched the cigarette right out of Ruth's mouth. "Then how come you never let me try one of these?" Without waiting, she took a puff, only to cough and wheeze. "Jesus, alright, that's why… Why do you do these?"

Ruth grabbed the stick back and snuffed it out. "Just another habit I picked up when I thought I had all the answers."

"Well you don't have to worry about me getting into that. Hey-" She half turned back to Rut. "-Introduce me to your lady friend. I'd like to meet who might become my mom eventually."

Ruth was ready to shoot it down, she even almost formed the words, but second thoughts came to her. Of all the responses a kid to have to their divorced parent showing interest in another, this was among the better ones. "I'll talk to her, and her name's Mindy."

"Mindy, cute." She grinned a bit lecherously. "Just like you like them."

Ruth let fly a remote control she hadn't been holding until a moment previously and Laura fled, laughing wildly at the discomfort she had caused. Ruth shook her head at where Laura had been. "Love you too damn much…" Even when she was a pain, that didn't change.

* * *

Mindy knocked lightly on the door, her other hand holding a platter of chips and dip at the ready. "Hello?"

The door swung open to reveal the wry smile of Ruth. "Hey. It's a treat holding a treat. What're the odds?"

"Stop that." Mindy giggled as she pushed into the house with her offering. "Tonight's the season finale! I'm so excited." She made her way swiftly into the living room and set the stray down, removing the top to make the chips available and soon thereafter the dip. "How many do you think'll die?"

"Half of 'em?" ventured Ruth as she closed the door and followed after Mindy. "They sure do seem to enjoy offing them. How do you get any favorites if they're going to die in a few episodes anyway?"

Mindy shrugged as she grabbed a chip and scooped up the dip onto it. "Couldn't say, but c'mon and let's enjoy the dinner and a show. Mmm…" The combination seemed to be entirely agreeable with her as she stuffed the combination into her mouth to devour. "Turn it on."

Ruth picked up the remote along the way and soon the show was starting with them both on the couch to enjoy it. "So…"

"Shh, show."

Ruth went quiet for a time, chewing on a few chips she barely dipped, her thoughts elsewhere. As soon as the commercials came on, she glanced towards Mindy. "Say, uh… Laura's graduating."

"Congratulations." Mindy reached for another chip. "She going to school?"

"No," Ruth sighed out, bringing up two fingers to pinch the bridge of her nose. "She plans to hit the ground running and isn't taking no for an answer. But this isn't about that, I meant-"

"-Shh, show's back." Mindy was smiling and bouncing in place as she reached for another chip and scooped generously. There would be no discussion as people were murdered copiously on the screen.

Ruth drummed a few fingers on her thigh, waiting for the commercial and paying basically no attention to what was going on with the series, even if Mindy liked it. Still, interrupting didn't seem to be working. She reached for a fresh chip, trying to distract herself with snacks.

Ah, there. "Look, I'm a little stressed out right now?"

"Huh?" Mindy turned to Ruth. "What's wrong? I mean I didn't think Sir Lugisworth would die either, but it wasn't _that_-"

"-Not with the show." Ruth smirked a bit at that. "Look, this house is… about to get empty, and full of memories. I'm… not sure what I want to do, but I was thinking of moving anyway."

Mindy gasped at that. "Away from Springfield?!"

"Not that far." Ruth set a hand on Mindy's leg. "Just out of this house. If I'm not keeping it for Laura, what's the point?"

Mindy glanced towards the television, but the show wasn't there to offer distraction. "I… guess this would be after she graduates?"

Ruth repeated the date that it would happen. "Oh, you're invited. Want to come along? We'll go for dinner afterwards."

Mindy perked up at that. "Mmm… That sounds fun. Oh it's back." She turned back to the show, clearly more comfortable with its fantasy violence than the more real worries of an empty nest.

The show could not shield her forever. As the credits scrolled, Mindy grabbed a chip and brought it laden towards Ruth. "You've barely touched any."

Ruth's brows fell in a scowl as she knocked the chip right out of Mindy's hand.

"Aw…" She looked at the fallen food with a crestfallen expression.

"I need you to be serious right now." She grabbed a cigarette and lit it up, eyes only dropping a moment. "Look… You're a friend. Act like it?"

"Yeah yeah, sure." Mindy put her hands in her lap and sat up, trying to look composed. "I am here for you right now."

"Good…" She trailed off, unsure what to say. Mindy had a big smile, waiting to help, but it became Ruth that was stuck. "I… Look, she wants to meet you, so it'll be nice for us all to enjoy ourselves after graduation, maybe go do something nice?"

"Definitely." Mindy thrust up a thumb as she nodded. "That sounds lovely. What does she like to do?"

"That… is a damn fine question." Ruth frowned, realizing a gap in her knowledge. "Hey, Laura!" she hollered into the house.

"What?" came the reply shout through the walls.

"Get over here!"

"Coming!" The sound of quick teenaged feet gave way to the presence of her daughter, Laura looking between Ruth and Mindy. "I thought you two were doing the date thing. I didn't want to-"

"-Jesus, Laura. We were just watching a show." Ruth hiked a thumb at the screen that was already quietly playing the next program. "Hey, what do you like to do? You know, for fun. I was thinking we should _all_ go out after you're officially graduated and do something."

"I'll answer for a little price." She held up one hand, two fingers close together. "Let me have some of those chips."

"Aw."

Ruth smirked softly at Mindy's sadness. "Go on, and get to answering."

Laura hopped right over the couch and the adults, landing just in front of the table. She grabbed some chips in one big handful and dipped one of them. "Perfect, my price has been paid. We could go to the movies? There's this slasher fic I've been meaning to see."

Mindy shook her head. "Why about something a little more physical?"

Laura popped a few more chips in her mouth. "Really? You're… always eating. You-"

"-Answer the question," cut in Ruth, glaring at Laura. "Mindy stays as slender as she is because she keeps moving. Anything you want to do that involves moving your lazy butt?"

"My butt is perfectly athletic," defended Laura with a smirk, popping the rest of the chips in her mouth and licking her hand clean. "So how active are we talking?"

"Hit me with your best shot," challenged Mindy with a bright smile. "I bet you'll be the one panting at the end."

"Woah." Laura pat her sides, wiping off the grease that lingered. "You never mentioned she was a badass. Alright, put your hands and the rest of you where your mouth is. I'll invite some of my friends and we'll do a celebratory paintball match. I'll bring two, it'll be New Adults vs Old Adults, so you have to bring someone else too to be fair."

"Paintball?" Ruth raised a brow, suspicion dripping from her voice. "When did you learn that?"

"Dad left me more than my jacket, Mom." She rolled her eyes. "You up for it or are you giving up already?"

Ruth suddenly stood up. "I'm not giving up that easily! One thing." She raised a lone finger, puffing a bit of smoke. "We don't have equipment. Don't you need a gun, and armor?"

"So you rent them, duh." Laura hiked a thumb. "The field will gladly take your money and set you up.

"We'll do it," suddenly cut in Mindy, standing up to join her friend. "Bring your best game."

"You're on!" She slapped Mindy on the shoulder and started back for her room. "Hope you're ready."

Ruth put a hand over her face, trying to figure out if a dire mistake had been made.

"What? You wanted me to be involved and get to know her." Mindy reached for a chip, though she was running low. "Sounds fun to me."


	7. Chapter 7

Ruth and Mindy stepped into the dilapidated looking storefront. Ruth's eyes swept over the faded displays showing people in action posed, holding guns as if they were in the middle of a real war rather than playing a casual game with fake guns. "Hm."

"I've never been here," admitted Mindy, looking around with far less guile. "What are we here for?"

"Hello!" suddenly greeted a yellow-skinned gentleman with a goatee that rose up from behind the counter as if he had been waiting for just that moment. "Here to reserve the field for an event?"

Ruth blew out a stream of smoke as she approached the counter. "Yeah, just who I needed to talk to. I want to do that, but I also want to not suck at this. What have you got for me?"

The man's face transformed in a slow but smooth transition from professionally inviting to predatory. "Well, now we're talking. There are paint guns, run of the mill, off the rack." He gestured to the right where a row of guns waited. "We'll rent you any of these for the day, but you don't want these."

Mindy looked baffled, rubbing behind her head. "I'm pretty sure we do."

"Let him get on with it." Ruth rolled a hand at him. "What are you offering?"

"These are the bare minimums." He dismissively waved them away. "Good enough, if you like losing to anyone that wants to win."

Ruth leaned forward, her cigarette lighting up before she gusted it right at the salesman's face. "I didn't come in here to lose. Now get on with it. We're two ladies on schedules."

"We have a schedule? Ooo, look at this one." She picked up one that looked like a shotgun.

The salesman didn't flinch at the smoke. "Alright alright. I just like to weed out the people who aren't serious." He ducked down, grabbing something just before coming back up with several boxes. "The trick isn't a new gun, but new parts. Get a new gun, the people you're shooting get wise and cry foul."

Ruth cocked one brow as she leaned in. "Now we're talking… You upgrade one of these bad-"

A pop filled the air. Mindy backed away from the counter, blushing. The wall she was facing was splattered with bright orange salesperson shook his head slowly. "That shouldn't even be loaded." He took the gun from Mindy's sheepish hands and set it on the counter with a grumble.

"Aw…"

"She'll take a shotgun, I think she likes it." Ruth shrugged softly. "So you were saying, upgrades?"

"Look, we can start with the basics." He opened a box and pulled out a curious black object. "Starting with laser sights."

"Get out." Ruth reached for the sight, turning it around in her hand. "Like a sniper?"

"Precisely. You can be the sharpshooter you always wanted to be." He cocked his fingers into a gun-like shape pointed at Ruth. "Bang, paint everywhere you want it."

Ruth smirked, imagining her emerging from the bushes. "Stay up late, huh?" Bang Bang would go the gun. Laura would stagger back, paint over her heart.

She would fall, one hand held out dramatically. Ruth would claim victory, laughing wildly.

"On the more subtle side," continues the salesman, ignorant of the fantasy being played. "We can improve the springs and levers, make your gun shoot a little faster, a little smoother. Do everything to give you an edge." He tapped at its magazine. "Larger magazine for more shots between reloads."

"You are entirely speaking my language." She cocked a smile as she plucked the cigarette from her mouth. "I want three guns outfitted, two standards, one shotgun. We'll only need them for a day."

"You got it." He scribbled on a pad of paper. "What's the day?"

Ruth hiked a thumb as she quoted the day.

"Isn't this, you know, technically cheating?" Mindy shrugged softly, looking uncertain. "Just checking."

"One, no." She tucked away the snuffed cigarette. "Two, they're younger and should be able to jump around like idiots better." She straightened out her top lightly. "Three, they could come down here and do the exact same thing we're doing, so how is that cheating?"

"You have a point…"

"'Course she has a point," butt in the salesman, ripping off a piece of paper from his pad. "Paper or plastic?"

Ruth surrendered a few bills. "Besides, she wants to go off on her own, she gets to learn what it's like being in a big bad world where she doesn't have her money being supplied. Oh." She returned her attention fully to the salesman. "It'll be six. Three standards, and the three I just ordered."

"Six, got it." He pushed his pad aside. "If you don't mind my asking, where's #3?"

"Number, oh." It was only at that moment that it hit her. "Crap. We need a #3."

Mindy raised a finger. "Oh, I know exactly who to call."

"You amazing ginger! Who?" Ruth put an arm around Mindy, guiding her from the store.

"A friend of yours, of course. You're good pals with Marge Simpson, aren't you?"

Ruth came to an uneven stop. "Yeah… Not sure how much she'd be up to paintball. She never hit me as the 'down and dirty' kind of woman."

Mindy shrugged softly. "You won't know unless you ask. I woulda figured _I'd_ be the one hesitating about calling her. You know, with the things."

"You two didn't do anything. You were both mature adults." Ruth squeezed Mindy lightly and their travel continued. "You have nothing to be worried about, or guilty of."

"Neither do you, that's what I'm saying, so just ask. What's the worst she'll say?"

* * *

"No."

Ruth's expression fell. "Marge, c'mon. I need a third and we've had fun before." She was standing on Marge's stoop, hands clasped together in a pleading motion. "I'm covering it all. Just come on over, play some, and go home, done. Free fun!"

"And we'll have dinner afterwards," encouraged Mindy from behind Ruth with a bright smile. "It'll be a girls' night out!"

Marge looked pensive a moment, but her head began to shake. "That really isn't my kind of thing."

Ruth leaned forward, drawing up a hand to whisper gently, "look, you wouldn't have thought the last time was 'your thing' either. Give it a try. If you aren't having fun, I won't stop you from going."

"No guilt trips?" She crossed her arms sternly.

"No guilt trips." Ruth raised both her hands flat towards Marge.

"No guilt trips," agreed Mindy with a bright smile.

Marge hrmed in her uniquely Marge-like fashion. "Well… alright, but I'm leaving if it gets to be too much."

Ruth suddenly hugged Marge. "Thank you! We're gonna whip those kids' bottoms good!"

"Beg your pardon?" She hiked a brow, confusion raising. "What kids are we 'whipping?'"

Mindy pointed up the street to Ruth's house nextdoor. "Ruth's daughter, Laura, and two of her friends."

"Oh, Laura!" Marge's suspicion evaporated instantly. "She's such a sweet little thing. Why didn't you say she was involved? I can't imagine anything she's involved with will get too rowdy. I'll be ready."

"You're the best." Ruth squeezed one of Marge's hands. "And don't worry, we'll be there to help. It's all three of us."

"It'll be fun." Mindy bounced lightly on her heels. "Besides, a little break from the family isn't a bad thing, right?"

"Right." Marge nodded softly, her eyes on Mindy. "Say, don't you work at the power plant?"

Mindy shook her head quickly. "Not anymore, but I used to. Let's have some fun."

"Let's do that." She turned to go back into her house with a big smile. They could hear her shouting, "Bart, I'm going to play paintball with your old babysitter. No, not that one. Laura! The girl from nextdoor. No you can't come."

They couldn't hear his part of things, but Ruth was confident she could guess. With a little smirk she began to head back towards her house. "Thank you, by the way. That was mighty brave of you."

"What was?" Mindy kept up with ruth, matching her pace.

"Going up to your ex-crush's house like that. You must have been…" She noticed Mindy was looking more and more tense by the moment, as if she hadn't realized what she was doing until then. "Oh… Say! How about we go for a jog." She hiked a thumb. "Last to the pizza joint buys the pie."

Mindy's expression rebounded instantly. "You're on." And off she went, racing towards the food that had been promised. "Loser gets to pick the toppings though."

"Ha, Keeping it interstin'." Ruth began to run energetically at Mindy's side, looking for the right spot to put all her into it. "Win or lose, you get somethin'." Saved money, or picked toppings.

Mindy got there first, slapping the door to the pizza place with both hands and a cheerful Whoop of victory. "I did it!" She turned around, expecting Ruth to be just behind her, but Ruth was half a black back, panting and heaving. "Oh…"

She jogged back towards Ruth even as Ruth slowly righted herself and began approaching her at a strong walk. "Coming back to taunt me?"

"Why would I do that?" Mindy shook her head. "But maybe… I know it's hard and all… but you like being active as much as I do, maybe no smoking?"

"When you quit drinking." Ruth held up a hand, expecting the argument to be over.

"Well, alright." Mindy shrugged softly. "If it means you'll quit too."

"You're joking." Ruth raised a brow. "Look, I'm going through awkward times right now and _now_ is when you want me to toss withdrawal onto the pile?"

Mindy reached for one of Ruth's hand, cradling it gently. "You're not alone, and I'll be cranky too, but, maybe, together?"

Ruth's teeth clenched as she looked into Mindy's hopeful eyes. "Girl…"

"You want to win, right?" Mindy released Ruth's hand and turned back for the pizza place. "Let's take care of ourselves, so we can show those girls what we have."

"I mean… yeah." She trailed after Mindy towards the pizza she would have to pay for. "I get to pick the toppings."

"Sure do." That had no hint of sadness in it. "So many good options, what are you going for?"

"Mmm, what about Hawaiian? Canadian Sausage and pineapple." She counted each ingredient on her fingers as she approached the door inside. "Sound good?"

"Mmm." She drooled noisily in anticipation. "Looking forward to it almost as much as I'm dreading quitting, but we're doing that, right?"

"You're serious, aren't you?" Ruth advanced ahead of Mindy, going to the counter. "Hey, one large Hawaiian to go." She slapped down a bill to cover it.

"I'm super serious. I'm… also maybe a little scared, but it's, I dunno, a good scared. We both need this… We can help each other succeed where we fail alone."

"I didn't fail," snapped Ruth as she span towards Mindy. "You can't fail what you never did done in the first place."

"Then do it for me. I already tried to quit, a few times… When I look in the mirror sometimes." She glanced at the desk person who was just quietly watching them and pulled Ruth away out of immediate earshot. "When I look in a mirror sometimes, I get… scared. I don't want to go that way. Let's do better, alright?"

Ruth peered at Mindy intently, taking in her vulnerable eyes and hopeful little tremble. "Look… I can't stay mad at you. Let's get our pizza, head home, and we can, I dunno, talk about it, alright? Maybe somewhere where people aren't _listening_ so damn much." She glared at the cashier who just shrugged noncommittally at her. "Jerks."

Mindy timidly smiled. "I won't even snack on it on the way home."

"... Wow, you really are serious." All doubt was driven from Ruth's mind.


	8. Chapter 8

They returned home, setting on the couch with the pizza resting in Ruth's lap. She moved it right from there, shaking her hands. "That gets hot, go figure." She popped it open and gestured grandly. "You waited long enough, dig in."

Though Mindy's eyes wandered over the pizza and a soft "mmm" of appreciation rumbled from within her, she did not reach for a slice. "We should… you know, talk first."

Ruth internally swore at Mindy's focus. "Right, so… You think we can just change who we are, overnight?"

"Maybe not alone, but maybe… together?" She smiled, a warm expression, though it faded away almost as quickly as it came. "Look, I need a little hope. I think you need a little hope too." She worried her fingers together. "Can we be each other's hope?"

"Look, you're nice." She set her hands in her lap, facing Mindy. "But you're also kind of being super pushy right now."

"Yeah…" She glanced at the pizza. "So, uh… Want the first slice?"

Ruth took two pieces from the pizza, separated them in a melted cheese display and holding one towards Mindy. "You never had a kid, right?"

"Oh, no." Her cheeks darkened faintly before she took a big bite out of the slice. "Mmm… Them Hawaiians sure know how to make a pizza." She took another eager bite, her appetite returning with a vengeance.

"Sure do." The conversation faded as the two took turns devouring bits of the pie until only about a third remained there. Ruth was feeling full and didn't reach for anymore. "If you want to finish it off, don't let me stop you."

"You sure?" She hesitated. "I bet Laura would like a slice."

"Bet she would." Ruth folded her arms. "Maybe she shoulda thought about that before running off."

"Don't be like that." Mindy reached for the top of the box, folding it shut gently. "All kids have to move on eventually. She's not being mean about it."

"Nah, she isn't," breathed out Ruth in admission, not that it seemed to make it easier for her. "I'm not trying to be a jerk. I won't stop her from going."

"Good." Mindy ventured a little cocky smirk. "Won't stop us from showing her a thing or two before then."

"Now you're talkin my language." She started to raise but paused halfway up. "Want a soda?" With a nod received, she wandered into the kitchen, grabbing a soda instead of the beer she had originally planned. "You're a bad influence," she muttered under her breath, returning with the less troubling drink.

Mindy cracked her can open. "Yeah… I… do that a lot. I seem to get in people's way." She glanced up at Ruth. "You can tell me to go. It's alright."

Ruth's hand was suddenly on Mindy's shoulder, not that she remembered grabbing her. "You stop that. You don't get to keep callin' me out and then pull shit like that. Shit." She noticed the sudden grab had made Mindy's drink slosh, spilling some across her front. "Sorry." She set her own can aside and grabbed for Mindy's.

"It's alright," insisted Mindy, drawing her can away. "This isn't a special blouse, really." She rose to her feet. "I'll get it washed out in a moment."

Ruth watched her go, tapping her knee with a fidgeting finger.

"Eating that?" Laura peeked out just from around the corner.

Ruth rolled her eyes mightily. "Mindy thought you'd want some." She grabbed the box and held it over her head. "Was she right?"

"Damn right she was, ma'am." Laura snatched the box from her mother's uplifted hand. "Tell her I said thanks."

"Tell her yourself." She pointed past Laura to the returning Mindy.

"Hey there." Laura raised her free hand in a light wave. "Thanks for saving a few slices."

"Glad to help. You have your team ready?" Mindy wiped over her front, trying to help things dry. "We're ready."

Laura snorted softly, a wicked smirk on her face. "You have Marge Simpson, nice lady, but, really, paintball? We're going to run you over."

Ruth casually closed her fingers around the pizza box that was close enough. "So you're not hungry then?"

"Hey! C'mon. I'm just fooling around." She worked the box, or tried, but Ruth's grip was iron on the cardboard.

"It'll be a fun game either way," assured Mindy as she approached. "Let's be good sports. I promise not to make fun of you when we win."

Laura suddenly burst into laughter. "Wow, yeah, you need to keep this one." She hiked a thumb at Mindy with her free hand. "Now let go!" She gave one last pull and almost fell forward, Ruth's grip suddenly not there. "Woah, thanks." She saluted, then hurried off, lest her pizza be snatched once more.

Mindy hopped over the couch and crashed beside Ruth, reclining with a happy sigh. "Now time for post-dinner lazing. Want to put something on?"

"Mm? Yeah, sure." She grabbed for the remote and soon something mindless was playing on the television. "So… couldn't help but notice something."

"Yeah?" Mindy's attention seemed to be largely on the brightly animated show being displayed, her answer quite distracted.

"You didn't argue with her." She hiked a thumb in the direction Laura had fled. "About 'keeping this one'."

Mindy glanced over, breaking her view of the show. "Oh! Um… I… Are you upset?"

"More curious…" She tipped her can back, chugging down the rest of the fizzy sugar drink. "Are you going to take away all the fun things?"

"I'll replace them with other fun things," proposed Mindy with a hopeful little smile. "I want to see what you call fun too. Working out was kind of fun, now that I have someone to do it with…"

"Yeah, it is more fun with a witness." She set her empty can down on the table. "Confirmation, I did that, see?" Ruth shrugged softly. "So… Where do you live again?"

Mindy sat up, blinking. "On the north side of town." She pointed in the vaguely correct direction. "Why?"

"How about one of these days _I_ come haunt _your_ house for a change." She clucked her tongue against the top of her mouth. "Tell you what, I'll be the one bringing snacks then."

"Mmm… I suppose that'd be alright…" Mindy shrugged before a gigglesnort escaped her as the cartoon mouse pulverized the cartoon cat in a delightfully absurd and violent fashion. "Silly cat…"

"Mental note: If a mouse breaks out a dagger, maybe it's time to just leave." Ruth shrugged with a smirk. "Jus' sayin'."

"Hrm…" Mindy seemed to be thinking over the theoretical scenario, rubbing a chin with a lone finger. "Maybe they're just hungry."

"Bribery, smart girl." Ruth winked with a half-laugh, rising to her feet and grabbing the can in one smooth motion. "Done with yours?" She took the other empty can and crushed them together on her way to the kitchen, dumping them in the recycling bin.

Mindy burst into merry laughter, watching the cat meet another comical end, its spirit attempting to flee the cruel world it existed in, just for the mouse to continue its torture. "Silly cat."

Ruth re-entered the room but didn't advance past the archway, standing in the space between the living room and the kitchen. "Hey."

"Mm?"

"Just thought I'd mention something." She reached for where a pack of cigarettes rested, but her fingers brushed over it instead of grabbing it, remembering who she was in the middle of speaking to. "You're always talking me up."

"There's a lot to talk up," defended Mindy with an unsure smile.

"Just wanted to throw out there, it isn't one way." She stepped out of the kitchen. "If you're going to get all up in my business telling me what to do, that's going back the other way, so I don't want to hear any complaining."

"What would I complain about?" Mindy shrugged as she leaned off to the side, lazing in a comfortable post-meal daze. "You don't ask that much."

"Even if it involves seeing how toned I can get you?" Ruth crashed beside Mindy, landing beside her bottom, though the rest of her was sprawled out in a lazy spread. "I bet I could get you ripped if you give me a chance."

"Mmm." It was neither a positive or negative noise. Mindy was watching the television and seemed to be shut down.

"You don't like talking after food, do you?"

"Not if it's real food." She shrugged softly. "Snacks are different. Hey, I move hard, I rest hard." She swung herself, her legs coming down on Ruth, over her lap and resting easily. "I'm like a, hmm, lizard, yeah." She flickered her tongue in a wag as if tasting the air.

Ruth shoved the legs off of herself as she broke into laughter. "Get yourself home to your own rock, lizard. I don't need any reptiles sunning on my sofa."

"Aw." Mindy stood up despite her complaint, stretching out. "Guess I should. You'll come over next, right?"

"It's a date." Ruth clucked her tongue and made a gun motion with her right hand. "I'll come bearing gifts, promise."

"Mmm, gifts." Mindy moved for the door with a happy smile. "I'll look forward to it." With a final wave, she slipped out into the dark coolness of the evening. "She'll come over… D'oh." She applied her palm to her face. "Gotta clean up." She hurried to her car and threw herself behind the wheel. As quickly as she could, she peeled out of the spot and took off for home as if Ruth were chasing right behind her.

Inside, Ruth perked at the sound of the car peeling away. "You live a little." She nodded appreciatively as she turned off the television. "For now…" She had an evening workout to do, and bed to hit, and she moved to stay on schedule for that. "Go to bed," she shouted towards her daughter on the way past."

"When I feel like it," came the defiant response. "Ma'am," was added awkwardly.

Ruth smirked softly. Laura was a curious mix of rebel and good girl. "Thank you." She descended the stairs, ready to feel the burn and work off some of the calories of the pizza she had devoured.

* * *

Mindy came to an equally abrupt stop, half-falling from her car as she hurried up the stairs that led to the second story of the small apartment building she was living in. "Gotta clean up," she muttered to herself, her post-food lethargy gone as so much vapor. She threw her door open and stepped inside, flicking the light on.

Bugs that feared the light immediately scattered in all directions. The mess that she had left was still there, decorating much of the floor and any other surface that was at about her midsection or lower. "This is going to be… harder than I thought." She reached for her broom, but it refused to budge from the spot. She tugged and wrenched at it before the stick of it tore free from the bristles, the latter stuck firmly to the ground. "D'oh!"

"Do it the hard way…" She moved and started picking things up, dumping them in the trash in rapid little trips before she got an idea and grabbed the bin, carrying it with her as she dumped more and more things into it. When it got full she hurried outside and emptied it to repeat the trick. Soon she could see the floor, a victory! "I'm doing this…"

She grabbed a sponge that hadn't seen use in quite some time, dry as a desert. Thankfully it popped into being as she doused it in water and she began to scrub the floor, working at the sticky spots and slowly freeing things from their prison. She was able to toss out the broken broom shortly with a little grin of victory. She would be ready to host her friend.

Hopefully. "Just have to keep cleaning."


	9. Chapter 9

Marge pulled down her armored shirt, her hair popping free as her face came free of its heavy cocoon. "Hmm, this sure is a lot of protective gear for a game."

"Better safe than sorry," countered Ruth with a smile. "Besides, this means you can take off this when we're done and it'll be paint splattered instead of the stuff you care about."

Mindy nodded softly. "That makes sense." She saw pulling on her gloves and checking the fit of her helmet. They were all gearing up with heavy paintball armor, preparing for a day of 'fun'. "I wore tie dye. I figured any paint that happens won't look as weird on that."

"Shoulda thought of that." Ruth smirked a bit as she reached for her gun. "Alright girls!"

"Yeah?" came a younger voice from just around the bend, the other team also preparing.

"We're keeping this simple. Three on three, elimination. You take a shot on the torso, you're out. Limbs get two shots. You shouldn't be aiming for the head, but one shot, out. If, for some reason, we're still going after ten minutes, we call the round and see who has more people left." Ruth racked her gun, a useless action that seemed to be made just to make a satisfying noise. "All clear?"

"We're wearing helmets," came Laura's dry response. "They're not for show. Expect to be hit on it. I say we go for best out of seven, first to four rounds wins. Can you keep up with that?"

Mindy pointed, though Laura had no hope of seeing it. "You're on!"

"I knew you'd be ready. Mom, Missus Simpson?"

"You can call me Marge." She smiled gently. "Today we are competitors, peers on the battlefield."

"Metal." Unseen, she threw up devil's horns. "Peers for the day, I can dig that. Alright, Marge, Mindy, Ruth, let's get to our sides."

Other girlish giggles came from Ruth's side, her friends moving with her to cross the field and take up position.

Ruth gestured forward with her guns. "We'll take the other side, of course. Any questions?"

A sudden pop made her turn quickly to see Marge looking sheepishly at a splatter of paint she made on a wall. "Just testing," she demurred, rubbing behind her head. "Alright, let's, um, do this."

The battle was on. Full of the confidence of youth, Laura came charging forward, nailing Mindy in the chest almost at the same instant that she went down in a flurry of paint. Marge fired wildly, which proved not entirely ineffective. Luck or skill mattered little when a paintball came down on one of Laura's friends.

Ruth smirked at the last one standing, able to spy them through a crash in a wall. "Good night." She shoved her gun's barrel through it and fired wildly, cackling even as the cry went up.

The first round was theirs.

The second round saw them acting more cohesively. Marge was the first to go down, the others not long after that, with one of the younger team still standing, grinning proudly.

Barriers seemed to come down as everyone got right back into position and jumped into the third round. Mindy got a chance to get in close with her shotgun, catching two of them in one great blast as she emerged from behind them. It was a shame their survivor was also behind Mindy, removing her just as quickly. The third round went to the youth, but just barely.

The third round went to the adults, taking up positions to cover each other and painting any youth willing to approach them. The fourth did not see a continuation of that tactic. Effective, but boring, they moved out into the battlefield to exchange shots in the wild.

As the rounds went, Marge giggled to herself. "This is a lot more fun than I would have guessed."

Mindy nudged against her. "You have to try new things once in a while, or you'll never know what you're missing."

"Right right." Ruth adjusted the bin of paint atop her gun. "We're doing good. I'm proud of you both." She hadn't expected a lot of Marge, but she was keeping up.

The rounds were fast and both teams rebounded quickly for the next. In what felt like no time at all, they were on what could have been the last round. The adults had three wins, the youth two. The adults had not expected Laura's friends to come charging out of cover as suddenly as they did. They went down, but took two down with them. Only Ruth and Laura were left. "I made you, I can unmake you," called out Ruth, inching forward.

"Give it your best shot," Laura replied good naturedly as she moved to the side. The two were circling from cover to cover, with the no easy shots given.

This didn't stop them from trying, paintballs splattering the ground or the wall just beside their retreating forms.

Ruth took a soft breath, steeling herself for the next charge. Something flew in past her and struck the wall across from her solidly. Paint exploded suddenly, splattering across her front in an uneven pattern. "What the hell was that?!"

"Grenade," confidently informed Laura as she approached. "And I'm guessing you got hit."

Ruth looked down to see a line of paint across her front. "When did that become allowed?"

"About the same time you got souped up guns." Laura clicked her tongue against her teeth and made gun-like finger motions at her mother. "All's fair in love and war, Mom."

Ruth made silent wishes to throttle the storekeep that likely sold her out and made a few bucks doing it. "Right… One last round."

"Hey." She suddenly offered a hand towards her mom. "It's been a good match, either way."

Ruth hesitated a moment before reaching to take the hand. Shaking hands with her daughter was not a thing she did often. "Yeah… Kid, I'll be rooting for you."

"Aw, sweetie." She suddenly hugged her mom, but it was only for a brief moment. Laura bounced back and started towards her corner. "Last round!"

That summoned the others out from the timeout to gather at their sides.

* * *

Divested of armor and disarmed, they departed the paintball shop. Mindy was bouncing a bit as she went. "That built up a powerful hunger. I say we get something tasty to celebrate."

"But we lost," noted Marge with a soft sigh.

Laura nudged Marge gently. "Hey, you did great. Especially for your first time? You were out of control!" Her friends nodded, magnanimous in victory, as close as it had been. "Hey, Mom. I motion we celebrate these last few days of childhood and go somewhere goofy and tasty."

"Goofy and tasty…." Ruth rubbed her chin softly in thought. "That place with the rat for a mascot?"

"Exactly what I was thinking." Laura brought her hands together in a smart clap. "Pizzas with extra cheese and silly games to play. How's that sound?"

All present raised a hand as they marched in file, only breaking to get into different cars with promises to meet there. Mindy was driving the adults. One of Laura's friends had a car of her own. "We did good," she cheerfully noted as they moved.

"I hope I didn't hold you back." Marge was worrying her fingers lightly, looking uncertain.

"Nah, you did fine." Ruth patted her on the shoulder. "Thanks for coming along. You did fine." Sure, if they had a third physically active member, it might have played out differently, but, at the least, they had given a respectable performance. "It doesn't get much closer than that." Just luck could have made the difference.

"We did great," countered Mindy. "And now we get to eat." She pulled into the parking space. "And we had fun too, right?"

"More than I thought I would," admitted Marge with a sheepish smile.

"We'll have to try it again someday." Ruth climbed out of the car with a soft laugh. "Shoot it's been years since the last time I've been _here_."

There was the Wall-E-Weasel's rising proudly before them, the titular weasel grinning stupidly at them. "Isn't this place for people half her age?"

Mindy advanced past Ruth without delay. "They have decent pizza and it's what she wants. I'm not complaining. Oh, there they are." She pointed as the teenagers arrived just after them, coming to a skidding stop. All three of them spilled out a moment later.

One of Laura's friends was puffing a cigarette. "This is kind of a crazy place to go, don't you think?"

"You don't _have_ to go, Cindy," assured Laura with upheld hands. "It's just for fun and cheap eats. One last hurrah before we have to be responsible adults forever."

"Yeah, relax," insisted the other friend, a warm smile on her face. "Let's just have fun and forget everything for a little while. I have to fill out like a thousand applications when I get home and this sounds like just the kind of thing I want to do before I go into those mines."

They all went inside, Ruth leading the way as she went up to the counter. "Table for six."

The cashier looked over their party, sweeping from adult to adult to older teenagers. "Um…"

"This is for her birthday." Ruth hiked a thumb at the youngest looking of the teens who smiled nervously. "Don't make her feel awkward. We'll take two pizzas, extra cheese, and a round of tokens for everyone."

"O-oh, okay." He rang up the order and surrendered little bags of tokens for each of them to enjoy. "Happy birthday! I'll send Wall-E-Weasel over to your table."

The teens were tittering with smiles at the idea of that mascot visiting them, but were also already dispersing to play the games.

Ruth led the adults to perch around a table. Marge set their table number down in the center to help the waiter find them later. "I've been here before."

"I think almost everyone has, at some point." Mindy lifted her shoulders. "It's nostalgic now. Hey, we have tokens, and no pizza yet. Wanna spend them?"

"I already paid for them." Ruth jingled her tokens lightly. "We may as well enjoy them." Her eyes swept over the game choices. "If you see something you like."

Mindy was back on her feet with barely a delay. "I see a basketball game." She homed in towards it with a spreading smile. "Want to play?"

Ruth stood up, trailing after her. "Didn't we _just_ compete?"

"Winner gets the treat of their request from the loser," half-sang Mindy as she dropped a token into one of the stands, causing a basketball to fall where she could grab it. "Unless you're _chicken_?"

Ruth responded by jamming a token into the station beside Mindy and grabbing the basketball before it could finish falling. "You're on. I'm not losing twice in a day." She lined up the shot with a frown. "A little smoke would be really nice right now, soothe the nerves."

"And shoot your lungs." Mindy released her ball, though it bounced off the rim. "Dang…" She reached for the next. "I'm really, you know, proud of you, for quitting. I know it's not easy… I… mean I'd really like a drink."

"And you aren't going to do that." Ruth sent her ball flying and it almost went in, just to bounce away. "That ring is too damn small." She grabbed the next ball. "It'll be really sad if we both get a score of zero."

Mindy gave a lighter toss, aiming higher and it came down where it needed, rolling gently into the hoop. "Woohoo!" She balled her fists and pumped in victory. Other parents peered over at them.

Ruth rolled her eyes and raised her next ball. "Lucky shot… That treat is mine." The ball soared and hit the rim, rolling around and around, both of their visions locked on it as it tumbled seemingly without end. "Go in!" she demanded firmly, and the ball seemed to obey, rolling just that tiny bit over to fall in. "Score."


	10. End Episode 2

Names were being called out. As each name was said, a teenager on the cusp of adulthood stepped forward in the robes of ascension. They were entering the next stage of life. Only one of them really mattered.

Ruth's eyes were locked on Laura, finding her in the crowd and waiting for her turn to be called.

A hand brushed hers and she looked over sharply, but the tension abated. It was Mindy, lending a quiet presence. Mindy wasn't even looking at her, watching about the same point, likely waiting for Laura's turn.

"Laura Powers."

The crowd began to clap, but it wasn't enough for Ruth. She surged to her feet, clapping and cheering loud enough to be heard over the soft applause. Mindy had risen with her, clapping over her head and calling to Laura.

Laura's cheeks darkened as she stepped up towards the principal. She reached out a hand and soon a diploma rested in it. She showed it off to the crowd, getting a new wave of cheering before she fled to wait with the others who had gotten their turn.

Ruth took her seat and waited patiently.

"There sure are a lot of them." Mindy's eyes wandered over the crowd of young people waiting their moment of triumph.

"Yeah, high schools are like that." She shrugged softly. "We wait until they're done, then it's off to play some paintball."

"After we get Marge."

"Right."

* * *

It all happened so quickly. Her little girl had graduated, beat her at paintball, had a day of being a goofy little kid, then went off, just like that. "I have things worked out," Laura had assured. "I'll be with a friend 'till I get enough money for my own place."

"You… could stay here while you save?"

"I appreciate the sentiment." She patted her mother on the shoulder. "But it's time. Love you, alright?"

"Love you too." They embraced for what would be the last time for a little while. "You can always give me a call, alright?"

"You got it." She backed away, making gun motions. "Don't go crazy without me."

And, just like that, she vanished away to be an adult.

Ruth took slow breaths as she paced in the living room. She reached for her smokes, but they weren't there. The hand that had reached clenched tightly, shaking softly a moment before she put it to better use, grabbing the phone and dialing up a friend.

"Hello?" came the female voice.

"It's Ruth."

It was only two words, but Mindy could hear the pain in every word, the soft sniffle that was trying to be hidden away. "I'm on the way."

Ruth hung up, unsure at that moment what else to say. "Stop being stupid," she berated herself as she descended the stairs towards her equipment. "She's an adult, she gets to make her decisions… You did it. You parented."

She sat down and fell back into place. The bar already had some weights on it, good. She wrenched it free and began to pump it as if she could chase all her problems just by hitting enough repetitions.

Mindy's knock went entirely unheard. Fortunately, the door wasn't locked at that time and she came in on her own after a pause. "Ruth?" She closed the door behind herself and pressed further into the house, balancing a box of doughnuts in one hand as she went. "Ruth? Are you here?"

The sound of a bar coming to rest on the hook was her first clue and she began heading for the basement. "Ruth?"

"Yeah, I'm here." Ruth sat up, smiling a little as Mindy came into view on the way down the stairs. "Good to see you."

"What happened?" She popped open the box as she descended, soon in front of Ruth with the box open towards her in a silent offer of one.

Ruth picked a sugar frosted little knot of a thing and chomped off a piece. "She left. Just… like that, gone. She left and I'm being a weak little pussy about it."

"I think that's pretty normal." Mindy lifted her shoulders in an unsure display. "It's alright, this is a big, you know, thing."

"I hate this." She stormed past Mindy, taking another big bite of her sweet treat. "I hate this house. I hate everything right now."

"Do you hate me?" Mindy trailed after Ruth, but came up short as Ruth suddenly stopped and turned back towards her.

"No. Not you." She extended a pointer finger at Mindy. "You stay right there where I can see you."

"Well… if you're… feeling that way, how about we do that visit?" She hiked a thumb. "We can spend the day at my place instead."

Ruth suddenly grabbed Mindy by the shoulders. "You mad genius! Yes, let's do that. Forget all this. This house can go to hell." She let go just as suddenly, ascending the stairs. "I'll probably stop getting support soon."

"Support?" Mindy followed up to the ground floor. "What do you mean?"

"Child support. No child, no child support." She shrugged softly. "Of course, I'm also not paying for her stuff, so, you know, balance or whatever. I don't care, we're heading out?"

"Yeah sure." Mindy closed the box of pity doughnuts and tucked it under an arm. "Look, I'm… It's alright."

"It's not alright," hissed Ruth before she took a step back and put a hand over her face. "Sorry, sorry. God, what's wrong with me."

"Nothing." Mindy smiled gently. "You're a loving mother who's facing a hard time. Let's go."

"Yeah… Christ why did you make me quit _right now_? I could punch someone for a smoke."

"Not it." Mindy scooted from the home in perhaps little too much of a hurry. "Let's go."

One awkward drive later, they pulled in at the two-story apartment strip that was Mindy's home. "Here we are."

"Not big," noted Ruth as she got out, shrugging. "But you don't have a kid to make room for. Neither do I…"

"It's alright," gently repeated Mindy, leading the way towards her door. She got it open in a hurry and threw it wide. "Come on in!"

The inside showed her recent efforts of cleaning. It was presentable, arguably more than Ruth's own house. "Huh, nice." She casually flipped open the box that Mindy was holding and snatched a new doughnut. "Cozy."

"Cozy is actually the exact word I thought of." She closed the door and set the box down where anyone could reach it. "Look… I know you don't feel good right now, and you have every right to-"

"Where are you going with this?" Ruth crashed down on the couch, her arms wide over it. "Are you about to throw a speech at me?"

"Just a little one." Mindy held up two fingers close together with an unsure smile. "Look… one time I was with someone at… a perfect time, in a way… It didn't end well." She grabbed a doughnut for herself, chomping into it. "Not again."

Ruth hiked a brow up. "Are you… saying you aren't coming after me?"

"Nope." Mindy shook her head firmly. "I'm going to be a friend and help you get your pieces, um, back together. After that, maybe?" She flashed a little smile. "If that's alright?"

"Mindy."

"Mmhmm?"

"Shut up and kiss me." Ruth patted the couch beside herself.

Mindy's cheeks darkened even as a giggle escaped her. "Ruth…"

"You made me quit smoking. My daughter made me quit her. I'm _not_ quitting anything else right now. So you sit down." Ruth's half-lidded gaze was on Mindy unwaveringly, nodding towards the empty spot.

"Yes, ma'am." Mindy sat down, her half-eaten treat still in hand. "I just don't-"

Ruth turned Mindy's head suddenly towards herself, her hands on her friend's cheeks. "I'm going to get addicted to you, then I won't ever stop. You up for getting a new addiction? I promise to be more fun than any can of beer."

Mindy giggled softly, an odd noise, nervousness rising in her. "I… Are you sure?"

Ruth could feel her tense. Mindy was waiting for a repeat, she felt certain. She was waiting for Ruth to realize she was making a mistake, that Mindy was that mistake, and to run away. "I've done worse." She leaned in, breath washing over Mindy's face.

"Mmm, sprinkles," complimented Mindy suddenly, smelling one of the doughnuts Ruth had recently eaten.

Ruth burst into laughter, shoving Mindy back suddenly. "You crazy broad!" But she didn't let Mindy fall alone, advancing on her and pressing lips to lips. They were kissing. It was a messy and uncoordinated moment, devoid of what one would call a 'movie-perfect kiss'. They were desperate, both of them, but they were finding what they wanted.

When they seperated for a moment, Ruth sitting up on Mindy, Mindy chomped the last of her doughnut. "We're serious, huh?"

"Deadly." Ruth put her hands on Mindy's shoulders. "Hope you're alright with that, because it's on."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Mindy ran her fingers along Ruth's sides, tickling the stronger woman lightly along the way. "I can't be your daughter, but-"

"I can't be Homer, but-"

"Maybe better?" both said at once, smiling at each other. They burst into laughter at their moment of sync, settling into a warm cuddling session.

There would be no magic fixes for either of them, but at least they wouldn't face the future alone.


End file.
